A better way to row your boat

Rowing facing forward and with your hands free.

A unique propulsion system​The FrontRower™ forward-facing rowing system was invented by Ron Rantilla, and evolved out of his experiences solo paddling his canoe on camping trips among the islands off the coast of Maine.

Sometimes the wind and current are just too much for a single paddle in a fully loaded canoe, especially if you are traveling long distances. A pair of oars is inherently more powerful and gives you better control in the wind. But the rear-facing position of conventional rowing is awkward and impractical and can take all the fun out of exploring new places by water.

The FrontRower™ gives you all the advantages of rowing with a pair of oars but with the forward facing position of paddling. And it gives you some important extras such as automatic feathering and the ability to row hands free.

When using your arms and legs combined, the FrontRower™ gives you full body power and high quality aerobic exercise. You pull with your arms and push with your legs in much the same way as conventional rear-facing sliding-seat rowing. ​It's nice to have full-body power available when you need it, but most of the time you do not. For the power levels needed for ordinary touring, the FrontRower™ gives you the options of rowing with just your hands or just your feet. It's really easy to row with your feet (using your legs for power) and if you get tired of using your legs, you can switch to rowing with your hands (using your arms and back for power). Using fresh muscles in this way is a real luxury on long trips. And rowing with your feet allows you to use your hands for other things like taking pictures or casting a fishing line. And this versatility can accommodate people with disabilities such as arm or leg amputations.

Powerful, efficient, and very easy to useMany people think that conventional rear-facing sliding-seat rowing is the fastest and most efficient rowing system. That's what they see in sanctioned races like the Olympics. But this is not the case. Competitive rowers use this system because this is what's required by the rules. Sliding seat rowing systems are powerful because they add leg power to the oars. But energy is wasted in the back-and-forth motion of the oarsman in the boat. Fixed-seat rowing systems with sliding-riggers (the overhanging structure that supports the oarlocks on racing-type shells) have less oscillating mass and are more efficient. This type of system won the World Championship Men's Singles in 1981 and 1982, then the rules were changed to outlaw them. The FrontRower™ uses a fixed seat and moving pedals to generate leg power. This has even less oscillating mass than a sliding rigger.

The FrontRower™ system has proven to be faster than rear-facing sliding-seat rigs in identical boats in races like the 22 mile Blackburn Challenge (the largest open water rowing race on the East Coast) where unconventional systems are allowed to compete. This is good to know because it shows that the FrontRower™ is powerful and efficient and can handle challenging conditions.

But speed and racing is not really what the FrontRower™ is all about. It's more about being comfortable and enjoying yourself on the water, and getting good exercise with low risk of injury. It's easier to use than other propulsion systems so people who are not dedicated athletes can enjoy the benefits of rowing. It allows you to use your hands for other things (like taking pictures or casting a fishing line) while rowing along with your feet. Compared to conventional systems, it allows you to stay out longer, travel farther and have more fun.​

The FrontRower is designed to fit in most ordinary canoes, which make excellent rowboats for touring or exercise use. If you already own a canoe, you may not need to buy another boat to experience the most comfortable, most efficient and easiest to use rowing system ever built.